Mending-link.



Nd. 761,812. PATBNTED. JUNE 7, 1904.

- J. D. AUSTIN.

MENDING LINK. APPLICATION FILED 001'. e. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented June 7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

MENDlNG-LINK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,812, dated June '7,1904.

Application filed October 6, 1903.

To all w/tont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J 01m 1). AUSTIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Thonotosassa, in the county of Hillsboro and State ofFlorida, have invented a new and useful Mendfor its object theproduction of a simply-constructed and easily-applied device by whichthe adjacent ends of two chains or similar devices or the adjacent endsof two sections of a broken chain may be readily connected withoutdetaching the chain; and the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of the construction, as hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the improved mending-link applied. Fig. 2 represents thetwo parts of the device in perspective and disconnected. Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 1, illustrating amodification in the construction.

In a mending-link and similar devices as heretofore constructed oneclass requires the removal of the chain to a blacksmith-shop to enablethe mending-link to be heated before insertion, while another classrequires to be cold shut by the application of a bending force to thelink. The first requirement is often. a very expensive and troublesomeone, especially when the forge is remote from the 10- cality where thechain is employed, entailing long delay and serious interference withwork, and the other requirement necessarily re-- quires the employmentofcomparatively soft and malleable links, either of less strength thanthe other links of the chain if of the same size or of larger size if ofthe same strength.

In chains employedupon chain or sprocket wheels the links mustnecessarily be of the same size and of uniform interior diameter, and amending-link to be employed in a chain of this character must thereforecorrespond both in size and location when in action to Serial a.175,919. (No model.)

' the other links of the chain to cause it to run with the other linksin proper order upon the teeth of the wheel.

Another essential requirement of a mend- T ing-link capableof'ernployment upon chain or sprocket pulleys is that it must conformsubstantially in weight with the other links, so that the fbalance ofthe chain shall not be disturbed or' produce unequal action.

All of the above requirements are fully met in the improved mending linkherein disclosed, which consists of twin separablemembers approximatelyLshaped, the long arm 10 of each member being straight and terminatingin an eye 11 and the short arm 12 bowed or curved outwardly, as at 13,intermediately of itsilength to form a seat centrally of themending-link for the engaging links 14, as shown, so that when the draftis applied the adjacent engaging links of the chain (indicated at 14:)will be certain to be seated in the hollows in the short arms and insurea direct draft upon the stronger parts of the L- shaped members andprevent lateral strains against the members at their juncture with thetenons and all danger of the separation of the two parts forming themending-link obviated. The bars being made of a substantially uniformdiameter throughout provide for a forging which is cheap to manufactureand which has no projections to engage passing objects and be broken. Itwill here be noted that the outer end of the seat terminates at theinner edge of the adjacent tongue 15, whereby the seat does not have anyprojected unbraced portions liable to become broken under the action ofstrains and blows.

The short arms 12 are provided with terminal tongues 15, reduced insize, whereby shoulders 16 are formed at the base of the tongues, thetongues being disposed perpendicular to the long'arms 10;

The outer portions of the eyes 11 are slightlyflaring, as shown, toprovide for the riveting or upsetting of the outer ends of the tonguesafter insertion in the eyes to prevent their removal.

The extremities of the long arms 10 are exover the adjacent portions ofthe short arms 12 to reinforce them and relieve the tongues 15 from alarge portion of the strains.

The arms 10 12 may be constructed to conform substantially in area withthe links of the chain into which they are connected, as by means of thenovel construction herein shown. The mending-link is fully as strong, ifnot stronger, than the other links. Hence the mending-link does notenlarge the chain at the points where introduced or change its generalcontour or length.

It will be noted that the distance between the short arms 12 of themending-link is the same as the end portions of the links let with whichit is engaged, While the distance between the long arms 10 is the sameas between the side portions of the engaged links, so that whenconnected into a chain all the links correspond, as heretoforedescribed. By this arrangement the engaged links 14 will automaticallyseat themselves centrally in the bowed portions 13 and not contact whenunder strain with the long portions 10.

In Fig. 3 a slight modification in the construction is shown, consistingin forming one of the shorter arms 12 longer than the other, so thatwhen connected the interior of the mending-link has a larger area at oneend than at the other. This form will be employed for connecting adraft-hook or similar member to the end of a chain, such members beingnecessarily larger than ordinary chain-links to re sist the tendency tostraighten out under strains. This is an important l'eatu re ol' theinvention and adds materially to its value and eliiciency and also itsscope and increases its utility.

Another important advantage oi the construction of mending-link hereindisclosed is that this link is stronger than the ordinary links of thechain or the broken link which it displaces, so that no loss of strengthoccurs by employing the improved link or connecting one or more chainsor sections of chains 1 and without increasing the general size of thechain at the point where the improved link is inserted. This is a veryimportant consideration in devices 01. this character and addsmaterially to its value and operativeness.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is A mending-linkcomprising twin separable members each of which consists of an approximately L-shaped member terminating in an

